U.S. energy policy must be forward-looking

I asked my German son-in-law how his brother's new home in Hamburg was coming along. He said that the government supports his use of all of the existing modern technologies of geothermal, solar and wind, high efficiency insulation, windows, and appliances to reduce energy costs. Thus, one of the most powerful economies in the world can seamlessly decide to close all nuclear plants within the decade without a ripple from their populace because they have been preparing for the future.

Our leaders look back to the 1970s for cheap gas as disincentives for innovation and risky technologies that have put off the inevitable exhaustion of non-renewable energy at the cost of spoiling our deep sea food supplies and fracking that the earth below our communities ("Road to energy independence goes through ANWR, Keystone," March 11). Surely, leadership can step up to look to the future instead of the past.

History, myth, and legend informs those of us in the United States that on a chilly night in 1775 a relative of mine mounted his horse, and as loudly as he could, rode through the streets of Boston proclaiming that an invading fleet was entering the harbor aiming to muzzle and arrest any acts of...

A recent article by reporter Tim Wheeler about the issue of natural gas development in Garrett County contains a statement from a local Chamber of Commerce board member and farmer who has been a fairly vocal advocate for natural gas development ("Fracking debate intensifies in Western Maryland,"...

The recent article about fracking in Western Maryland seemed to me to raise more arguments for not drilling for natural gas in Garrett County than for it ("Fracking debate intensifies in Western Maryland, those benefits would be relatively short-term since "Western Maryland's gas reserves are limited."

Maryland's recent report on fracking safely is an example of smart governing ("O'Malley administration sets out path to fracking in Md.," Nov. 25). In July 2011, Gov. Martin O'Malley ordered a commission to be formed by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Department of Natural Resources....